SG Sovereign Fund Not Deterred By MAS, Backs Uniswap Labs

MAS may be tightening its grip on crypto, but not even state-backed funds are being deterred from the rabbit hole.

Uniswap Labs – the development team behind Uniswap Protocol – is reportedly set to raise a VC round of US$100 million to US$200 million. Uniswap Protocol is one of the largest DeFi exchanges and has a market share of 47.2%.

Hayden Adams, the creator of the Uniswap Interface, is in talks with an undisclosed Singapore soverign fund and crypto investment firm Polychain.

Uniswap Labs was valued at US$1 billion and had raised an $11 million Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participants including Paradigm Venture Capital, Union Square Ventures and ParaFi.

The announcement triggered a jump of over 10% in the price of Uniswap’s token UNI, which currently sits at US$6.31.

DBS Extends Crypto Trading From Corporate Investors to “Wealth” Clients
DBS is rolling out self-directed crypto trading for “wealth clients” but not the wider retail crowd

Both state-backed enterprises Temasek and GIC have histories of investing in crypto-related projects. Earlier this year Temasek invested in Amber Group and Animoca Brands, whilst GIC recently led Chainalysis’ US$170 million Series F round.

Whichever sovereign fund is revealed to be the powerhouse behind Uniswap Labs, it seems that Singapore’s message surrounding crypto is muddled. Even DBS has extended its crypto trading platform to “wealth” clients, despite MAS’s efforts to discourage retail investors.

F1 Has 920M Global Viewership – Is MAS’ Ban on Trackside Ads Futile?
F1 weekend is just around the corner as teams and companies flock to Singapore for one of the calendar’s premier stops – the night race around the city center on 2 October. However, the Little Red Dot’s little red light on crypto advertising is sending mixed messages to the wider F1 community. Crypto.com, FTX, Bybit […]

In terms of advertising, MAS’s message again is inconsistent. During this weekend’s F1 Night Race in Singapore, crypto firms were banned from displaying adverts on the trackside but not from livery, merchandise or clothing.

The crypto industry clearly continues to offer enormous opportunities for wealth building and even Singapore state backed funds can’t resist attending the party.